


Try Not to Bruise Too Much, Okay?

by hpotps



Category: Quantico (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-08-19 03:43:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8188319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hpotps/pseuds/hpotps
Summary: The five times Caleb Haas kissed Will Olsen, and the one time it was the other way around.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Some scenes here are directly from the show, that I have modified hence the tag Canon Divergence. Many thanks to my beta reader, you can find her @moonywaitup, and myself @cmonpadfoot on tumblr.com! 
> 
> P.S. I honestly am so surprised this is such a small ship, but I hope you enjoy the story nonetheless!

“Oh great,” Caleb said leaning back against the lockers, scoffing. “He’s literally a rocket scientist.” Later, as they circled one another on the mat, Will gave him the typical ‘disarming’ rundown.

 

“Caleb Jacob Haas. Born December 17, 1990,” he muttered with a surprisingly deep voice. Caleb grinned in response. “In Chevy Chase, Maryland to Clayton and Claire Haas. Graduated from Sidwell Friends, at the bottom of his class.” At this point Caleb decided his patience had worn thin.

 

Instead of listening to his sparring partner ramble on about his life, Caleb cut him off, taunting, “Okay, Rocket Man, here’s how this is gonna go down, I’m gonna smack you around a little silly, and you’re just gonna try not to bruise too much, okay?”

 

Will hooked with his left arm. Caleb easily side stepped him, deflecting Will’s blind right swing with his forearm before he reached around the smaller man’s chest and threw him to the ground. Caleb took advantage of the moment to straddle the smaller man and pin him down, holding his right shoulder down with his left hand and his fist hanging just in front of Will’s face.

 

The mat was tapped twice to let them know they were finished, and Caleb leaned down right by Will’s ear. “See? I even avoided that pretty little face of yours.” When he pulled back ever so slightly he cockily grinned down at Will, who looked furious. Without a moment’s notice he dipped down and pecked the smaller boys lips softly, his grin even broader as the man beneath him started spluttering from shock. “Aw, baby’s first kiss?” He sat up then, leaning out of the man’s space. “Can’t say I’m surprised.” Caleb got up in one fluid motion and crossed the mat to where Brandon stood just outside the ring.

 

“What the hell was that?” Brandon asked.

 

“That,” Caleb responded, “Should keep him boggled long enough so we can take him on in the cyber round.”

 

However, as they sat at their computers, trying to crack the firewall, Will seemed to be working twice as hard. When he was the first to slam his laptop shut, Caleb rolled his eyes until the man turned around and spat his words back in his face. “Okay, here’s how this is going to go, I’m gonna slap you around a little silly and you just try not to bruise too much, okay?” Will turned back around, with a self satisfied smirk plastered on his face.

 

*

 

A couple weeks passed, and Caleb and Will had begun to set into a routine as roommates. It was evening when Will returned to their dorm.

 

“Oh hey, Mr. Robot,” Caleb greeted. “You heading to the Old Settler tonight with everybody? Me, I think I’m gonna sit this one out. But I-”

 

As he spoke Will overrode him. “Are you Caleb Haas, or Mark Raymond?”

 

“Excuse me?” Caleb said, reclining slightly in his desk chair. Panic fluttered in his chest when Will held up a phone, a Facebook page named Mark Raymond with Caleb’s face on it clear as day.

 

“This is you, but it’s not you. It’s Mark Raymond,” Will said.

 

Caleb closed his book, squinting at the screen as he pretended his heart wasn’t bounding in his chest. “Mark who?” He tried again.

 

“Raymond.” Will clarified, “Twenty-eight from Dubuque, Iowa. Telecommutes for a company called Dystek. He was thanked in October by a Husky rescue website for his generous donation.” Caleb got up and stalked his way across the room, as Will kept talking. “He has Spotify playlists that are nothing like yours,” Will said, taking a small step back. “Tinder, Facebook, and Instagram accounts all with your name, and an Amazon wish list full of things for his new apartment near Union Station in D.C.” His back hit the wall, “But you,” he forged on, “Caleb Jacob Haas, live here.”

 

“I don’t care,” Caleb muttered, “what you think you found, but you will not mess this up for me. Do you understand?” They were standing so close, Will could feel Caleb’s breath ghosting over his face. Caleb stepped closer still, until their bodies were sharing heat and a wild flash of training mats came into Will’s mind so vividly he could almost smell the old sweat and chemicals they reek of. Caleb was looking right into Will’s eyes, his hand came out of his pocket and slowly rose up to the smaller man’s cheek, cupping it slightly. Caleb could feel the boy trembling from his place pinned between him and the wall, and he wasn’t sure if it was fear or want coursing through the slighter man but either way he didn’t care. The mission came first.

 

“Tell me,” Caleb said getting closer still, “you understand.” He murmured, his lips nearly touching the other man’s.

 

The response that came was barely a whisper. “I understand,” Will breathed.

 

“Good.” replied Caleb, and then he closed the minute gap and let his lips rest against the smaller man’s for a moment. Their eyes sliding shut as Caleb held the man’s face and Will’s hand shot out to grab the taller man’s shirt, clinging just slightly to the hem, not pressing, not pulling, just anchoring himself there.

 

After a moment Caleb pulled away, “I think I am going to go have that drink at the Old Settler.” He could see the ‘I’ll come with you’ in Will’s eyes, but quickly shut it down, “I think Shelby wanted to talk anyway, so I’ll see you when I get back.” Will deflated slightly, and some part of Caleb hurt for it. _‘Whatever’_ he thought, as he grabbed his jacket and headed for the door _‘Mission secure.’_

 

The door closed loudly behind him.

 

*

 

Panic is an assault on all five senses. It feels like a match struck against skin and makes hands shake. It tastes like bile and smells like burning rubber. It sounds like a million bees buzzing, and makes vision swim, hazy and unbalanced, like a night with too much alcohol. Yet even still, panic paled in comparison to what Caleb felt as he raced to Sistemics, praying to a God he thought he didn’t believe in that Will was alright.

 

When he arrived they brought him to the back, and he finally saw Will’s face, the rushing blood in his ears made him miss what the other man said. At the relief of seeing his friend, his mind kicked back into gear, ‘ _the mission’_ it screamed. “Hey, I never wanted to leave Sistemics! My dad pulled me out. You guys are my people. It’s not them!”

 

“Why should we believe a word you say?” The man said, he seemed to be the ringleader. As the terror subsided into thrumming anxiety, Caleb slowly regained his composure and tried to rationally make a getaway plan.

 

“I can- I can prove it!” He said, mind scrambling for time, he just needed more _time_. “Just tell me what to do, I can prove it.”

 

“That’s good.” He said, “You can prove it right now.”

 

“How?” Caleb said, slightly surprised that they were going with it.

 

“Hit him.” He said.

 

Caleb swallowed. “What?” he asked.

 

“Is he your friend or not?”

 

Caleb turned slowly, looking around at Will. His head tilted, and his face screamed ‘I have no choice’. He tried to think of a plan but it seemed his million mile an hour train of thought had derailed, because now he couldn’t think of anything at all but ‘ _No’_. Will spoke clearly and surprisingly calm for someone about to be swung on by his friend. “I’m not afraid.” He said quietly.

 

Caleb swung pulling his punch to the gut just before it made contact to lessen the impact, but it was gonna hurt anyway. “There, happy?” He said, turning around, and shaking his hand off.

 

“Oh, hit him again.” The other man shot back.

 

Caleb hooked and caught Will’s jaw, but there was no way to reduce the impact without being overt. Blood sprang up from where his fist had split Will’s cheek, and he leaned over to spit more out. _‘I’m sorry,’_ he thought, hoping it would somehow telepathically connect and Will would forgive him for this.

 

Caleb turned around ready to be done with it when he looked down and saw the other man holding an iron rod, his mind turned more volatile and began screaming, _‘No!’_

 

“Now with this,” he said.

 

The next several minutes streaked by as Caleb was ordered to hit Will again and again. Every time the rod connected with the smaller man’s body, Caleb could feel his heart breaking more and more. How could he do this to his friend?

 

“I think that's enough,” The other man finally said when Will was panting and bleeding profusely. “You can put him out of his misery. Come inside when it’s done, I'll have my men come back out and clean it up.”

 

“You-” Caleb said, his mind whirring and still all at once. “You want me to kill him?” He asked.

 

“Better you than me, man. I can't stand getting my hands dirty,” he said turning around and walking inside, his cronies trailing behind. “Here,” he continued, just before crossing the threshold. “Use this.” He tossed a gun, and Caleb caught it with surprising agility by the handle.

 

When the door closed and the alley was empty, Caleb rushed to Will’s side picking him up and pulling him across his lap. Unbridled tears came rushing down his face as he clutched to his bleeding friend. He was trying not to panic, “Will?” He croaked, praying for some miracle, whatever it may be.

 

Will had always been slighter than Caleb in stature, but here he simply looked so _small_. So small and lost. “S’Okay.” He breathed.

 

“Oh God.” Caleb choked out, tears streaming down his cheeks in the cold air. “I'm so sorry, Will. I'm so sorry.”

 

“I know, baby.” Will said thickly. Caleb wasn't sure he heard him correctly. Will turned his head and spat onto the ground, blood stained the concrete.

 

Will had seemed to regain a portion of his self control and began to sit up slightly, making his way to stand. Caleb helped him up, unsure what to do next. “They want me to kill you,” he said.

 

“Yeah, they do,” Will responded, squinting towards the end of the alley.

 

“What these people do. It's awful, Caleb,” Will said after a moment.

 

Caleb scoffed. “That's the understatement of the century, these people tried to get me to blow up a church.”

 

There was a silence while they stood there, unmoving. “You've got to do it.” There was a note of finality there.

 

Caleb knew before he asked that he was stalling. “Do what?”

 

“Kill me.”

 

“What?” Caleb began as Will kept justifying how important this mission was. “Are you crazy? I'm not going to kill you,” He burst out.

 

Incredulously, Will asked, “Then what are we going to do?”

 

They stared at one another, heaving. Will’s left eye was swollen shut. “I’m-” Caleb began, huffing himself off before he leaned in and kissed the other man. It was a firm lingering kiss, no moves or motives. Just a kiss. “Ow.” Will said, when Caleb pulled back. “Why do you keep doing that?”

 

“Doing what?” Caleb said. “Look, I'm not going to kill you, you're my best friend.” Just as Will went to retort, he shut his mouth and went a different course of action. Dropping to his knees in the alleyway, he reached out and brought the gun, still heavy in Caleb’s hand, to his head.

 

When Will spoke next, it was resolved and steady, “You've got to.” That didn't stop it from hurting like hell.

 

Then a lot of things happened at once. The door behind them opened. The man from before began to ask, “What's taking you so-” before a shrill scream cut him off. Shelby had rounded the corner.

 

“What are you doing?!” She hollered.

 

“Inside!” The man screamed, just as Shelby came charging down the street. The man got to Caleb first and began pulling him backward into the hotel.

 

Just as the door was closing, Caleb heard Will tell Shelby, “I'm alright.” And it was those words that allowed Caleb to relax well enough to handle whatever the hell was about to happen.

 

*

 

The hospital light was harsh on the eyes in the entryway after walking the dark streets for more than an hour. Caleb walked right up to the nurse’s station, “William Olsen, please,” He requested.

 

“Visiting hours are-” She began.

 

“Please.” He said again, cutting her off.

 

She looked up from her screen into his bloodshot eyes and puffy cheeks. Sighing, she turned back to her computer and tapped away for a moment. “Room 322,” she said. When he visibly sagged with relief she continued. “Don’t,” she said firmly, “Get caught.”

 

“I won’t,” he assured her. True to his word, he heard the quiet click of the door behind him without a single soul taking note of his presence. He looked at the clock on the wall. 3:19. He stepped further into the room, when the figure on the bed shifted.

 

“Will?” Caleb muttered.

 

The other man didn’t respond. Caleb walked around to the other side of the bed and looked down at the Will’s face. He had some bandages over his eyebrow, but it was mostly bruising. Will looked so at peace when he slept, it didn’t look right for him to be so soft, yet so battered. Caleb gingerly rested his hand on the swollen cheek.

 

“I’m so sorry.” He whispered.

 

Will’s eyes fluttered open.

 

When their eyes finally met, Caleb could see how dilated his eyes were. _Right_ , he thought, _painkillers._

 

“Caleb?” The man asked, his voice slightly scratchy. He leaned into the warm hand cupping his cheek, unable to do much else.

 

“I’m right here buddy,” He muttered, sitting down and leaning over the bed. He felt a warm hand cradling his own, keeping it against Will’s cheek. Softly, he ran his thumbs up and down the other man’s cheek trying not to cry again. “You were gonna die for me today.” He hadn’t meant to say it but when it was out there, there was no way of not noticing Will’s flinch. “Why would you do that, Will? I’m not worth that. You can’t do that, man.” His words hung in the air like a self deprecating poison, an open wound of doubt and anxiety.

 

“If you really think you’re not worth that, then I’m gonna need to knock some sense into you. You just try not to bruise too much, okay?” Will said. Some of his words ran together, but they were coherent nonetheless.

 

Caleb laughed sarcastically but it caught in his throat slightly, so it just came out sounding forced and weird. Then he was crying. In some maniacal kind of way he couldn’t stop laughing, but he was so fucking _sad_. He just couldn’t put it into words.

 

“You are ten times the man I am,” he stuttered out as he tried to calm down. “You are perfect and beautiful and you’re everything, and I’m just me.” He wasn’t sure what this moment would mean for them later on, he wasn't even sure what his words meant right now. As the moonlight came filtering through the window he looked down upon the man who had fixed him with a fierce gaze.

 

“It’s funny,” when he spoke the room was so quiet that he wasn’t louder than a murmur. “That’s what I’ve been saying about you for weeks now.”

 

In the silence that followed, Caleb continued stroking the other man’s face until finally he leaned down to bridge the gap between them, unsure of what exactly he was doing.

 

“Don’t.” Will mumbled. It was still difficult to speak clearly with morphine running through his system. “Don’t kiss me if you don’t mean it.”

 

“Alright,” Caleb responded.

 

It was a beautiful, lingering kiss. Will’s lips were so impossibly soft, even where they were split. His face was so warm and beautiful in the moonlight, Caleb almost pulled back just so he could drink it in a little more. But he never wanted to leave where they were. If they lied there, lips pressed calmly together moving ever so slightly, for the rest of time, Caleb thought he would be quite alright with that.

 

He did pull back just a hair. “Does it hurt?” he asked.

 

“Not bad enough,” Will said.

 

Caleb surged down, bringing his other hand up to cup the man’s cheeks and press their lips together more firmly. It was kind of sloppy, but it was everything Caleb needed. When he pulled away, he looked at the man who looked too soft, too kind, too _good_ to be in the FBI, and it nearly brought him to tears again. It was like wanting a ticking time bomb. Soon they would be shipped off to different corners of the country, and they would never see one another again. Caleb wasn’t entirely sure why, but a part of him died with that thought.

 

“Get some rest,” he said.

 

When the door clicked behind him, he didn’t know if the man would remember this.

 

On his way out, he thanked the nurse that helped him.

 

He also didn’t get caught.

 

*

 

It was graduation day and the ceremony had just finished. Most were with their family, and the final walkthroughs weren’t due for several hours. But since his family wasn’t here, Caleb decided to make his final check early.

 

When he opened the door, he didn’t expect to see Will there. “How come you’re not with your family?” Caleb asked. The look Will gave him in response told him plain as day he wasn’t going to get an answer to that question. “Right, okay.” Caleb mumbled to himself as he walked around, looking under his bed and under his mattress as he tried to find anything he could have missed.

 

After minutes of searching, Caleb deemed his side of the room clear, and stood.

 

“Why aren’t you talking to me?” Will asked.

 

Turning around, Caleb looked him up and down trying to determine if the other man was joking. He looked nervous. “I just tried to, like five minutes ago.” Caleb said, gesturing at the doorway with his thumb.

 

“No, I mean-” Will cut himself off.

 

“Will, are you-” Caleb began, unsure of where exactly his question was going to take him when the other man answered him anyway.

 

“No, I’m not okay. You nearly beat the life out of me and then you kissed me. _Then_ ,” Will forged on when it looked as though Caleb was going to interrupt him, “You get dragged back into that hellhole of a hotel, _maybe_ visit me in the hospital, and then you don’t speak to me again. We talk like nothing happened, but something did happen, Caleb. I was really hurt, and then you just vanish back into your head like some kind of- of- machine!” Will finished, somewhat wildly.

 

Caleb took it all in and looked at him for a moment. “I didn’t want to talk about it because I thought you didn’t want to talk about it,” He said eventually.

 

“Of course I want to talk about it!” Will said, his voice steadily raising.

 

“Then let’s talk about it! I said I’m sorry, Will, what more do you want?” Caleb sounded exasperated.

 

“That’s not the point!” Will shouted.

 

“Then what is the point, Will?” Caleb shouted back.

 

“The point,” Will said trying to reign himself in, “is that you didn’t talk about it, and I want to know why.”

 

“I just told you, I thought you didn’t want to talk about it.” Caleb said.

 

“Well that’s just bullshit because _you_ ,” Will accused, “Hit me with an iron rod, did you really think I didn’t want to talk about it, or did you not want to talk about it and you just knew I wouldn’t bring it up if you didn’t?”

 

“Both. Neither.” Caleb threw his hands up in frustration. “I don’t know what I wanted,” he said lamely.

 

“You don’t know what you wanted,” Will repeated, and somehow that made it sound even worse.

 

“No, I didn’t know, okay. I came to visit you in the hospital, but you were so doped up on whatever they were giving you that I only ended up more confused.” Caleb spat out.

 

“Why come in the first place?” Will demanded, anger coming back now.

 

“I don’t know! I just thought it was the right thing to do!” Caleb said, back to shouting.

 

“Bullshit! You came there for a reason, what was it? This is bigger than the right thing, Caleb. You could have died!” His voice was raised again.

 

“I wasn’t thinking about me!” Caleb screamed. “I was thinking about you, and all the horrible things you let me do to you. I was thinking about how I couldn’t live with it if you died.”

 

“Couldn’t live with- Don’t you know I was ready to die? For you.” Will insisted, “For this mission. To take down Sistemics! I was ready to sacrifice myself for that, why didn’t you pull the trigger?”

 

“I told you I couldn’t live with that!”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because I love you!” Caleb screamed, face flushed, chest heaving as he tried to pull in enough oxygen to calm down. He felt like he’d just run a marathon. “Fuck!” He said. And with three purposeful strides, he crossed the room and grabbed the smaller man’s cheeks, slamming their lips together. The kiss was unlike any other, it was forceful, and passionate, and so overwhelmingly emotional it made the world sway beneath their feet. Then, just as the bliss set in, it was ripped away as Will shoved heavily at him.

 

“Stop _doing_ that!” He said, bringing his sleeve up to rub the spit from his lips.

 

Caleb stood there a moment, panting. Will was looking down at himself, smoothing out his clothes as if he hadn’t ironed his entire outfit six times just this morning.

 

He was so sure.

 

Without a second thought Caleb turned and made for the door, throwing it open and speeding down the hall as far away from the situation as he could get, ignoring Will calling his name. He took the stairs three at a time, racing down to the main floor. He pushed past several families, scribbled his name on the final check list, and made it out to the parking lot. He slid into his car and started it, driving away, resolutely ignoring the image of Will in his rearview waving at him to wait.

 

He was so _sure_.

 

*

 

There’s no such thing as coincidence. So this must be fate.

 

Working alongside the FBI felt strange even now. It had been such a long and wild ride that some days Will woke up merely grateful that he knew which direction was up. So when the world went topsy turvy and Will overslept, ruining his meticulous routine, he took a deep breath and decided somethings were just meant to be. When he arrived at his usual Starbucks, he saw the backed up drive thru line, and tried not to swear loudly. He failed. He parked his car, and walked quickly across the lot, into the shop and up to the counter.

 

“Can I get a grande, single shot, whole milk hot latte, with two pumps of caramel and three pumps of toffee nut, whip cream and salted caramel topping.” He said smoothly, reaching for his wallet.

 

“Coming inside today, are we?” The barista asked with a smirk.

 

“I was running a bit late this morning, and I am never late,” he said. She laughed, agreed, took his card, passed him his coffee, and he was on his way. Just before he left the counter he gave her a questioning look.

 

“They recognized your order,” she explained. “Three years in, and they've gotten pretty good at making it. Besides, that one's got a crush on you.” She whispered the last sentence conspiratorially, as she tilted her head towards a well built blonde. For a moment Will’s heart dropped, but then the man turned around and had brilliant green eyes and strong cheekbones, and ‘ _isn’t Caleb_ ’ his brain supplied.

 

He grinned brightly, making his way out of the coffee shop and back to his car, heading for work. When he got to the office, Shelby held her hand out and grinned widely at the latte placed there.

 

“You spoil me,” she said.

 

“Not when you're paying, and I'm just picking it up,” he retorted. They walked together toward the elevator.

 

“You’re late.” She added a split second later, “You’re never late. What was my second stuffed animal’s name?”

 

“The giraffe?” he said distractedly. “Mia, because you were obsessed with the Princess Diaries.” He jammed the button on the elevator again, willing it to go faster.

 

“What are you in such a rush for, then? You passed my test, so what’s up?”

 

“I just wanna get this day over with, I can't shake the feeling that this is going to be a big day, but I don't know if it's a bad or good thing.” He huffed out a short breath, “I overslept. By the way.” He was tapping his foot now.

 

Shelby placed her hands on Will’s shoulders, turning him towards her. “Will.” She said firmly, “You're doing it again. Take a deep breath. I’m not sure what this big day thing is about but it's just a silly gala, you can get drunk and everything, there's nothing to worry about as long as you take several deep breaths.”

 

“Gala?” he said, blinking owlishly at her. “What gala?”

 

“The Presidential gala? It's some Autumnal Equinox thing, whatever that means. You don't remember?” she asked.

 

“Oh, no.” Will gulped. “That’s tonight?”

 

“Yes. Seven thirty. Be there.” The elevator dinged, and the doors finally opened, allowing him to step inside. “Breathe, Will. It's going to be fine,” Shelby said.

 

As the doors began closing he replied to himself, “Right. Breathe.”

 

~

 

The gala was decidedly more important than ‘silly’ as Shelby had described it.

 

Will had spoken to more congressmen and women than in his entire life combined this evening. And he was definitely not drunk, as Shelby had suggested, but instead had time for two flutes of champagne between conversations. At such a gala as this, Will decided that was definitely not enough liquor. As he spoke with a woman named Andie Martinez, who worked for some committee, he spotted Claire Haas from across the room. For the second time that day his heart sank, but slower this time, as though slowly filling with dread.

 

“If you'll excuse me,” he said cutting her off and watched as she bounced right into another conversation like some sort of social magnet. He crossed the circular room to the Vice President. He tapped her on the shoulder, unsure of where this conversation was going to go.

 

“William,” she said, when she laid eyes on him. “Pleasure.”

 

“Please, Madam. It's just Will,” he clarified, hoping he was coming across as charming. She smiled so he thought it was working.

 

“I never thanked you for your part. You really held out for the team,” she said. Perhaps it was the champagne, but her smile didn't seem as happy as it seemed vicious.

 

“Anything for our country, Madam Vice President,” he said going for more of his champagne. When the silence had settled he decided to bite the bullet. “Is-”

 

But just as he began, Ms. Haas spoke up. “Caleb!” she called, sickly sweet. Will was frozen to the spot, as Claire moved around him hugging her son. “How are you enjoying the party?” she asked.

 

“It’s fine,” Caleb replied. “Who’s your-” his face fell as Will turned around and looked at him. “Friend?” he trailed off.

 

“You and William know each other don't you? You were at Quantico together?” she asked.

 

“Yeah,” Caleb said, but it sounded tight and strained, even to his own ears. “Quantico.”

 

“Well,” Claire began after an awkward moment of silence, “I'll let you two catch up.” She was quick to the escape before either man could reject her idea.

 

“I'm just gonna,” Caleb began, pointing in some vague direction. When Will didn't say anything, seemingly frozen in place, he continued, “Yeah.” He strode toward the door hastily.

 

When he finally stopped moving he realized he was in the third floor restrooms in the annex. He could hear the faint music coming up from beneath his feet as the gala went on below him. He turned both faucets on, splashed his face before looking up to check his reflection in the mirror. Only he wasn't alone.

 

“I tried to call you,” Will said. “But you didn't answer.”

 

“I guess you could say I was preoccupied.” Caleb sighed. As he reached for a towel to dry his face, Will couldn’t help but notice he seemed so much older now, it kind of broke his heart.

 

“You left,” Will said eventually after several moments of silence.

 

Caleb was tempted to ask what he was talking about, but didn't have it in him. “I did.”

 

“You were yelling at me, told me you loved me, kissed me, and then you left. You left. Months I didn't hear from you. And when I do, we’re hunting a terrorist, and then you leave again. You disappeared again. This time for three years. I had nothing, I-” Will cut himself off, hearing Shelby’s voice in his head, _Breathe,_ she said. Taking a deep breath through his nose, Will tried to restore his sense of calm. “You left.” He repeated, and it sounded so broken Caleb wasn’t at all sure what to do.

 

“I’m-” He began.

 

“So sorry!” Will drawled, and his lips were trembling, and his eyes were watering but dammit he was _not_ going to cry. “I _know_ you’re sorry because you’re _always_ sorry, Caleb. Always. You hurt me, and then you’re sorry, and then you kiss me, and I forgive you and then you hurt me again!”

 

Caleb didn’t have anything to say, so he said nothing at all.

 

“Why didn’t you stop? I ran after you, I wanted to explain, but you just,” Will took a deep shuddering breath. “Drove away.”

 

“I was scared, okay?” Caleb said. “I thought if I stopped to hear you out, you’d confirm all my biggest fears. You’d tell me you didn’t feel the same, that you finally came to your senses and realised I’m not good enough for you.” He leaned back against the counter, “I thought you were going to tell me to stop, so I stopped myself first. I told you, Will, I don’t deserve you.”

 

“You thought-” Will said, cutting himself off. He walked up to the other man, who was looking down. He slowly brought his hand up to Caleb’s cheek. “Look at me,” He said softly, as he cupped his face. “You thought I didn’t feel the same?” He asked, quietly.

 

“I thought you shouldn’t.” Caleb replied, just as quiet.

 

“Too late,” he said, raising slightly onto his toes and sliding his hand around to the back of Caleb’s neck, bringing his head down until their lips met. They stood there in the third floor bathroom, tangled in one another’s arms, their lips moving together like the moon moves the tide. Slowly, they pressed closer together, languidly kissing.

 

When Caleb pulled away to breathe, Will tightened his hands in his hair, a shocked breath tearing into his lungs. Rashly he pulled him back down, unable to let go of the moment. The kiss was different. It was rough, powerful, all consuming, it felt like his very bones were on fire, and _oh God_ he wanted it so bad. Teeth caught lips, as they pressed ever closer.

 

Eventually they did pull away from one another, breathing heavily. “I-” Will began, panting. “I love you, too,” he said, feeling slightly as though he were going to suffocate for it.

 

“You-” Caleb began, not quite processing what the other man said.

 

“I love you.” Will said, in no uncertain terms. “I’ve wanted to, for a long time, and I was scared to let myself, but the more we talked, and the longer we lived together, the more I couldn’t help it. I love you.”

 

This gave Caleb pause.

 

“I played this scenario out in my head, millions of times, and to be honest, I never let myself imagine you saying that, but man the words are good to hear.” Caleb said, looking down at their hands twined together. He hadn’t even noticed. He squeezed lightly, as some personal reminder that this was real. “C’mon,” he said leading them towards the door.

 

“Where are we going?” Will asked. He stumbled to catch up.

 

They rounded the corner and took down the steps. “The apartment,” Caleb answered.  When they made it out into night air and opened the doors to Caleb’s car, he spoke again. “We can decide if it’s mine or ours on the way.”

 

Will beamed for a moment, before sliding into the car.

 

_Ours,_ he thought, _I’d like that._


End file.
